PowerTips Unscripted

In this episode of PowerTips Unscripted, host Victoria Downing chats with Jessica Lipson, Vice President of People and Culture at JBL Consulting, about building strong leadership within your remodeling business. Jessica, who brings over 20 years of HR experience, shares her insights on identifying high-potential leaders, developing effective mentorship programs, and fostering non-toxic, inclusive company cultures. Jessica explains the difference between high-performing employees, who excel in their current roles, and high-potential employees, who show the drive and emotional intelligence to lead in the future. She emphasizes the importance of utilizing tools like behavioral assessments and regular one-on-ones to spot these emerging leaders. Victoria and Jessica also dive into: The key skills future leaders should possess, such as emotional intelligence, resilience, and adaptability. How to balance formal training with real-world leadership experiences. Practical strategies for resolving workplace conflict and building a respectful, productive team culture. The post Developing Your Company’s Future Leaders with Jessica Lipson – [PowerTips Unscripted] S6 E6 appeared first on PowerTips Unscripted.

In this episode of PowerTips Unscripted, host Victoria Downing interviews Robert Gurinowitsch who shares insights on incorporating state-funded projects into a remodeler’s revenue stream. Robert explains how these opportunities can be lucrative but require navigating government regulations and compliance. Robert Gurinowitsch is the regional program manager for Best Bath. Best Bath has been providing over 25 years in Strategic Solutions for Home modifications and Home access. They work with Home and Community Based Service programs, Managed Care Organizations, Workers Comp, and Bank Trusts. Victoria and Robert talk more about: Challenges and benefits of state-funded work How to start doing state-funded work Examples of how state work has helped companies  And more… The post Adding State Funded Work to Your Revenue Stream with Robert Gurinowitsch – [PowerTips Unscripted] S6 E5 appeared first on PowerTips Unscripted.

Most remodelers start as the sole salesperson for their companies. Stepping out of that role is arguably one of the hardest things you can do — but you have to if you’re going to grow your company. Hiring, training, and managing a sales team is a challenge. Normandy Design Build Remodeling has a sales staff of 22, and all have design or architecture backgrounds. This is more important to the company than having pure sales experience. In this episode, Andy Wells talks to Victoria and Mark about hiring and training superstars at Normandy, where he’s the president and owner. Normandy has been in business for 40 years and does additions, kitchens, and whole-house remodeling throughout the Chicagoland area. Andy has been with Normandy for 21 years. Expanding and growing your company takes sales, and more sales, says Andy. His newer salespeople are selling $600,000 per year; some with more experience are doing $2 million, topping out at around $4 million sold by one salesperson. Andy talks about hiring and training the Normandy way, with information you can use to build your own sales staff, including: Why passion is the most important thing How to be a Sherpa for your clients The importance of being nimble Clicking with the customer Training in the culture The value of ride-alongs for sales Scaling the commissions and compensation Moving from salary to commission Meetings — what to cover and how often to hold them Why sales managers can’t do all their own selling And more… So much more, in fact, that we ran out of time. Since we didn’t even get to the management part, we’ll be bringing Andy back soon! The post Building a Remodeling Sales Team with Andy Wells – [Best of PowerTips Unscripted] appeared first on PowerTips Unscripted.

There are five stages of company growth, according to Judith Miller, one of our consultants and facilitators. Transitioning from Stage 3 to Stage 4 is one of the more complex. It takes a substantial shift in the owner’s responsibilities and skill sets. It can result in a much higher job satisfaction level, financial return, and working much less. In this episode, Jef Forward explains how he managed this tricky move to Victoria and Mark. It’s a process he planned and implemented over years, and it had challenges and surprises for everyone in the organization. Jef is the Owner of Forward Design Build located in Ann Arbor, MI. He has been a facilitator for Remodelers Advantage Roundtables for numerous years and has been a member of the Roundtables family for even longer. Jef is known as a visionary, an idea guy, and ahead of the curve in most things tech. Jef talks about how the process has worked for his company, and what it takes to get there. It demanded a great deal of self-reflection on his part, as he moved out of the role of doer to teacher and had to become a better leader. He talks about understanding your priorities and how they might shift, and getting buy-in from your team, including: Your company culture Working the plan Getting accurate feedback Letting people fail, and teaching from that Becoming a proactive, not reactive company Why it’s not all about you And much more… Regardless of the growth stage of your company, Jef’s got workable advice to make your business and life better and more rewarding. The post Growing a Company from Stage 3 to Stage 4 with Jef Forward – [Best of PowerTips Unscripted] appeared first on PowerTips Unscripted.

So, you’ve been thinking of starting a podcast for your business. While it is one of the best reasons to gain notoriety and establish value for your community of clients, starting a podcast doesn’t mean it will bring success all on its own. Guest John Corcoran is here to share his tips and tricks for how to make podcasts your most valuable marketing tactic. John Corcoran is the co-founder of Rise25, an agency that helps businesses generate qualified leads, referrals and strategic partnerships using podcasts, and lead generation using LinkedIn and content marketing.  He is also an author, a former Clinton White House writer, and is on a mission to make the world a smaller place, through connections. Victoria and John talk more about: Building relationships and creating connections Generating content The value of podcasts And more… The post How to Make Podcasts Your Most Valuable Marketing Tactic with John Corcoran – [Best of PowerTips Unscripted] appeared first on PowerTips Unscripted.

As a remodeling business owner, you have likely heard of demographics and you have probably looked at it solely in the context of marketing and lead generation. But, the power of demographics lies much deeper than that, and in this episode, Ken Gronbach will share the subtle yet profound effect of shifting demography in the United States, the Americas and the world, and we will hear what that means to your business now and in the future. Ken is President/CEO of KGC Direct and is an internationally respected demographer who has been able to forecast societal, commercial, economic, cultural and political phenomena with uncanny accuracy. Victoria, Mark and Ken talk more about: Ken’s transition from Marketing into Demography The relationship between markets and demographic data The effect Covid-19 will have on the demographic landscape in the United States The generations in the US that will be the most influential in the next 20 years The categories/sectors of commerce that will suffer and which will flourish demographically going forward The post Demography is Destiny with Kenneth Gronbach – [Best of PowerTips Unscripted] appeared first on PowerTips Unscripted.

Are you concerned that college tuition fees will deplete your savings? In today’s episode of PowerTips Unscripted, we have Brad Baldridge on the show to assist business owners in planning for their children’s college education without sacrificing their retirement funds. Brad discusses how owning a business can impact college finances and whether there are any benefits that business owners can leverage to aid in paying for college expenses. Brad Baldridge is one of the nation’s leading college financial experts. He teaches families the best ways to plan, save, and pay for college so they can make their children’s college dreams come true without wiping out their finances or their retirement. Brad, Vicotria, and Mark talk more about: Are things different for business owners when it comes to planning and paying for college? And more… The post How Business Owners Can Tame the High Cost of College with Brad Baldridge – [Best of PowerTips Unscripted] appeared first on PowerTips Unscripted.

Worried about a steady flow of leads? If referrals are your main source of business, a structured, reliable process for generating them is essential! Many companies claim their top leads come from referrals, yet few have a formal strategy in place. In today’s episode of PowerTips Unscripted, Doug Howard shares a proven method for building a consistent referral system that works. Doug Howard, a senior consultant with Remodelers Advantage since 2017, brings a wealth of experience to the table. Having facilitated over 8 Roundtables meetings each year, Doug has worked with hundreds of remodeling clients to help them master their financials, refine processes, and boost profitability. Doug, Victoria, and Mark talk more about: What is a referral engine? Who should be responsible for generating referrals? What will cause people who already like us to send more referrals? And more… The post The Steady Referral System with Doug Howard – [PowerTips Unscripted] S6 E4 appeared first on PowerTips Unscripted.

Today on PowerTips Unscripted, we’re excited to welcome Bjorn Johnson to the show! As General Manager at TraVek Remodeling and Roofing, Bjorn shares insights into the company’s journey as one of Arizona’s most trusted leaders in remodeling and roofing. Tune in to hear about TraVek’s dedication to quality, innovation, and customer satisfaction, which has cemented its strong reputation in the industry. Bjorn, who is passionate about sales and supporting his team’s growth both in and out of the office, joined TraVek for its solid foundation, core values, and great culture. He finds fulfillment in helping others succeed and is committed to making a meaningful impact on people’s lives. Join us as he unpacks the challenges, successes, and secrets behind TraVek’s top-tier service! Bjorn, Victoria, and Mark talk more about: How is TraVek different from competitors? What do you attribute your success to? What is in the future for TraVek? How are you handling these trying economic times in the construction industry? And more… The post How to Build a Reputation That Stands the Test of Time with Bjorn Johnson – [PowerTips Unscripted] S6 E3 appeared first on PowerTips Unscripted.

Successful organizations rely on accurate financial information to make informed decisions. But what sets great organizations apart is having a formal month-end close process in place. This ensures that financials are completed, reviewed, corrected, and ready for leaders and managers to use confidently in decision-making. In this episode of PowerTips Unscripted, Doug Howard joins us to break down what a strong month-end close process looks like and how to implement it effectively. Doug Howard, a senior consultant with Remodelers Advantage since 2017, brings a wealth of experience to the table. Having facilitated over 8 Roundtables meetings each year, Doug has worked with hundreds of remodeling clients to help them master their financials, refine processes, and boost profitability. Doug, Victoria, and Mark talk more about: What is included in a good month-end process? How should financials be reviewed to know they are correct? Who should be involved in the financial process? And more… The post A Month-End Close You Can Actually Make Business Decisions From with Doug Howard – [PowerTips Unscripted] S6 E2 appeared first on PowerTips Unscripted.